Nightmares and Fairytales
by tissue paper flowers
Summary: Itachi is dead. But can Sasuke ever really shake the memory of his brother? Slowly, he slips into insanity. [SasuNaru] [Chapter Two Added Mar16]
1. Goodmorning

Nightmares and Fairytales

Tissue Paper Flowers

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. If I did, the show would be much more…interesting. Hehehe.

**Pairing**: Sasuke x Naruto, implied Sasuke x Itachi

Rating: T for now. Might eventually become M.

Chapter One

"_Foolish brother…you can have no one else but me…"_

"_You don't own me."_

"_Oh, I beg to differ."_

--

"No!" He sat up in bed, panting heavily. Just a nightmare…it was just another nightmare. His shout had been rather loud, loud enough to wake the one sleeping beside him.

"Sasuke?" The voice was soft, familiar, and laced with sleep. "What's wrong?" The covers-which had previously been collected in a pile over the speaker-shifted, falling back as they sat up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Sasuke inclined his head towards the other, small smile tugging at his lips.

"Naruto…" he said softly, running a hand through his ebony locks, tilting his head back towards the ceiling. "Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, but I don't mind." The blonde replied sleepily, yawning softly before draping himself around Sasuke's shoulders. "Another nightmare?" Sasuke nodded slowly, a bit hesitant to admit it. He and Naruto had been together for quite some time now-two years, at the very least-but he was still not entirely comfortable with admitting to something as foolish as…nightmares.

It made him feel silly, stupid, childish. All things he did not want to be considered. He preferred things like cool, calm, collected. Not someone that had nightmares.

Before, he had always had nightmares. It was hard not to, especially when you took into consideration all the things he had been through as a child. But now, they had been getting worse and worse. Itachi. He had never appeared so vividly in his dreams before just recently.

"It was no big deal." Sasuke said murmured, shaking his head firmly. There was no reason to get Naruto mixed up in all of this. He had already been to good to him. It made Sasuke feel uncomfortable sometimes-like he didn't deserve someone who was this good to him. As if he would be better suited with someone else. Sakura… he shuddered just at the thought of it. God forbid he would have ended up with that pink haired demon.

At first, she had been upset. Very upset. But that had been expected. Thankfully-for all their sakes-she had managed to move on, to get over him. Maybe it had been when she actually caught him and Naruto 'in the act', Sakura had finally realized he was _not _ straight. And even if he was-there was little chance he'd want to be with her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Naruto asked softly, trailing light kisses across his lover's collarbone. The answer was evident-it was always the same. No. That might have been the only thing that still really irritated him about Sasuke. But it was understandable. From everything he did know, it didn't take a genius to figure out why he wouldn't want to talk.

"Maybe some other time, Naruto." Sasuke closed his eyes, weaving his fingers through Naruto's soft blonde hair. He did plan on telling Naruto one day. When he was sure that there wouldn't be any 'repercussions'. The last thing he wanted to do was make Naruto worried or scared.

Ironically enough, Sasuke was doing just the opposite of what he was trying to accomplish. Every time he refused to speak, the anxiety Naruto felt for his lover intensified.

"Alright." Naruto said, masking the sadness in his voice. But there was no hiding the melancholy look in his eyes. The same look that tore Sasuke apart. Sometimes he wondered which would have been worse. Saving Naruto from knowing just exactly what his nightmares were about, or having to see that disappointed glint in his otherwise crystal blue eyes.

"I love you, you know that?" Sasuke opened his eyes, the same small smile returning to his face. Naruto was grinning up at him, pale lips begging to be kissed.

"I love you too," Sasuke replied, letting his head drop and pressing his lips firmly against Naruto's.

'_I love you more than you know…'_

**Foolish Brother.**

Sasuke pulled back suddenly, with a small gasp. Had someone just said that? He glanced around nervously, trying to find where the voice had come from. No one. There was no one in the room. And other than Naruto, there was no one in the house. It had just been in his head…all in his head.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side. At first, he wondered if he had done something wrong. But judging by the look on Sasuke's face as the Uchiha boy glanced around the room. It must have had to do with his nightmare. There was no other possibility.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said with a soft sigh, putting a hand to his forehead. With his other arm he pulled Naruto closer to him, the blonde taking this opportunity to nuzzle into Sasuke's warm chest.

"It's just…" He started to say something-make up an excuse, but was interrupted when he felt Naruto's head shake back and forth.

"Don't worry about it, it's alright." Naruto said, hands reaching up and tangling themselves in Sasuke's dark hair. Even if Sasuke wouldn't tell him what was going on., he could still offer comfort.

Sasuke said nothing, only hugged him tightly, both arms tying themselves around Naruto, as though they were afraid that the boy would slip from his grasp.

"Thanks," he mumbled his gratitude, letting his face sink into the soft hair that smelled faintly of ramen.

"Don't mention it."

**TBC. Review please?**


	2. Like Steam

**Nightmares and Fairytales**

Tissue Paper Flowers

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Naruto. Wish I did. Because then Sasuke and Naruto would eff like bunnies.

**Pairing**: Sasuke x Naruto, implied Sasuke x Itachi

**A/N:** Hmm…never really said how old they were, and even I'm not sure. ;;; But probably close to…eighteen? I don't know. That sounds right to me. Oh and thank you very much to my first reviewers!

Chapter Two

Hands, still clumsy with sleep, reached out for the faucets, hot water pouring from the tap. Onyx eyes stared blankly at the tub, watching as the water swirled down the drain. He leaned forward slightly, fingers curling around the white porcelain side. The size of the tub increased tenfold, the water that gushed around the drain becoming the size of an ocean. It was suffocating. The water stung every last inch of his skin, nettles of heat burying themselves deep within his nerves. It was pain. Excruciating pain. There was a pounding feeling in the back of his head that seemed to grow with every passing second.

A few minutes more of this and he would be completely consumed. Gone and drowned, swallowed up by this phantom sea. Memories burned themselves into his very being, keeping a choke hold around him. Memories…This was different. The burning sensation ebbed away, but his mind was still held. He could feel it. _Him_. Pale skin tingled, the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck raising in responses.

With a loud gasp, it ended. Sasuke was still leaned over the tub, knuckles turned white as he finally released his grip. Panting heavily, the Uchiha slumped against the side, bare back pressed against the now warmed material. His whole body shook violently, as his chest rose and fell in rapid succession. It was all in his head…all in his head. Sasuke wasn't sure whether or not to find comfort in this. Was he going insane? No…of course not. It was just a lack of sleep, that was all. Too many nightmares had kept him up at night, and now he was starting to feel the effects during the day. He shook his head, shakily standing up and turning on the shower.

With a shuddering sigh he shed his boxers, stepping beneath the scalding torrent. His pale skin reddened beneath the water, and for a time, he merely stood there. His mind was still trying to sort out what had just happened. It had all been his imagination. That was the only logical explanation. And it was the only explanation that Sasuke would allow himself to believe. Lack of sleep had given his mind too much space to wander, and it had resulted in that. But the pain was so intense, so _real_…not the sort of thing that usually accompanied something like a daydream. He shook his head again slowly, leaning against the side of the shower wall.

By now, his body had gone completely numb to the near blistering heat of the water, and the only thing he could feel was the pressure as it hit his skin. Sasuke straightened up, continuing with his shower. For the next few moments everything went like normal. He poured a bit of citrusy smelling shampoo (which happened to be Naruto's favorite) onto his hand, working it into a lather in his hair. Soapy water streamed down his face as it was washed out, swallowed up by the drain. It was just as he was finishing when he felt it. Slow touches starting at mid thigh, finger nails dragging their way lightly up to his chest. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Naruto must have snuck into the shower (again, he might add). He leaned back into the body behind him, closing his eyes and letting himself relax.

"_See? You do belong to me…" _

Sasuke's eyes opened immediately, the man nearly jumping out of his skin at the voice. That voice. He whirled around, losing his footing to the slippery floor of the tub. A small shout came from the Uchiha as his tail bone connected with the hard ground beneath him. A trail of profanities soon followed this, as he reached out for the tap, turning off the water. His knees shook slightly as he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel securely around his waist. Sasuke leaned against the sink, panting heavily. That hadn't been…it couldn't have been…it wasn't…No. He had just been imagining things again. Itachi was dead. Dead. Raven tresses clung to his cheeks, water trailing down the strands and dripping to the floor. One hand raised up, finger tips trailing slowly along the mirror that had fogged over during his shower. His own dark eyes stared back into him and for a moment, he seemed transfixed by his own gaze.

"Uchiha Itachi is dead. February 9th, 4:49 pm." He said slowly, repeating the date of his brother's death for extra reassurance. Yes, Itachi was dead. But then why, _why _was this happening? There was no way he could be going insane. That was just impossible. Uchiha Sasuke did not have any mental problems. He was perfectly sane, every last inch of him. This was just a little snag, that was all. He'd get over it soon enough. All he needed was a few nights of uninterrupted sleep, and there'd be no more problems. No more…hallucinations. The steam in the room was beginning to dissipate, and he took this as a sign to leave. There was a few more moments of staring before he moved away from the mirror, just to make sure that he looked composed again.

"Sasuke!" He was greeted by a rather familiar voice the very second he pulled open the door, dry arms being flung around his damp chests. The Uchiha jumped slightly. Well, he certainly hadn't been expecting this. Not that he was complaining. Naruto was one of the few things that made just dealing with life that much easier.

"I heard a crash!" The worked up blonde continued, tilting back his head and kissing Sasuke quickly. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt?" Sasuke paused for a moment, small smile flicking at his features.

"I'm fine…" He said slowly, patting the kyuubi holder lightly on the head. Naruto grinned up at him, though his cerulean eyes reflected worry. The other shifted slightly, chewing his lower lip in thought.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"Did you use my shampoo again?"

**TBC. Review please?**

**PS.**

Hehe, I didn't even realize how much fluff was in my first chapter. There's a lot less in this one. Do you guys like the fluff or…? Yeah, please let me know.

Oh, and just for the record, Itachi really is dead.


End file.
